‘Uten at du vet det’ is Sigrun Loe Sparboe’s first solo outing after deciding to make the move back north after a lengthy stint residing in the nation’s capital. In accordance with this transition to a place closer to her roots was the decision to compose all of the songs in her native language, in order to build a stronger relationship with each and every composition and truly express the song’s emotions. Such decisions appear to have paid off as ‘Uten at du vet det’ is instantly spellbinding with its plush string arrangements and uplifting qualities that reveal themselves layer by layer. There is a real live quality to ‘Solefall’, with the vocal pushed to the fore and accompanied by delicate guitar, before changing lane and shifting up a gear with the delightfully addictive ‘Ta mæ med’ complete with handclaps and foot stomps. ‘Nord’ is an ode to home and is delivered in a combination of sumptuous strings and vocal to turn even the harshest of critics which is game, set and match once ‘Globus med lys’ intoxicates the senses with its slow dance under the moonlight. Despite all of the loveliness, ‘Uten at du vet det’ makes a deviation with the dark undercurrent of fingerpicking ‘Ved rokken’ and closely pursued by the anxious and persuasive ‘Ingen vet’ and utterly sublime ‘Unnskyld’. Such digression is completely welcome due to providing a fine balance of emotions and, in the process, sets up ‘Uten at du vet det’ as a debut that will be extremely difficult to surpass due to being nigh on perfect.

Viewed by many as torchbearers for the alt-country movement, Uncle Tupelo’s ‘No Depression’ is given the re-issue treatment by way of a Legacy Edition that sees a multitude of extras including, for the first time on CD, the 10-song demo tape ‘Not Forever, Just For Now’ that was recorded by the original line-up of Jeff Tweedy, Jay Farrar and Mike Heidorn (1989). Given that this album was first released in 1990, ‘No Depression’ has not lost any of its edge with its intriguing mix of country and indie rock that no doubt had some bearing on Teenage Fanclub’s ‘Bandwagonesque’ during the same decade. With producers Sean Slade and Paul Q. Kolderie behind the helm and responsible for artists such as Radiohead, Pixies and Dinosaur Jr, then the crossover of styles becomes even more apparent with the ‘Graveyard Shift’ and ‘Factory Belt’ leading the way. ‘No Depression’ is a timely re-release considering the current popularity in roots music, but a reminder of a ground-breaking album that should secure a new level of interest from those unfortunate to miss out during its initial release.

Beginning in a warts and all ‘Introduction’ consisting of tuning up and occasional apologies before the main spectacle begins, Sony Legacy triumph with the release of Jimi Hendrix live at ‘Miami Pop Festival’. The reason for such enthusiasm for this live experience is due to the inclusion of the songs ‘Tax Free’ and ‘Hear My Train A Comin” which, until now, can be heard for the first time as live stage performances due to being unavailable previously in any format. In addition to these two songs, ‘Miami Pop Festival’ includes the usual candidates of ‘Hey Joe’, ‘Purple Haze’ and ‘Foxey Lady’; the latter of which is given a second airing due to being scheduled as an afternoon performance and sounding more spacious in places presumably as a result of the more relaxed timeslot. Jimi Hendrix completists will be pleased with the added extras including never before published photographs of this live event and an essay from award-winning music journalist Bob Santelli that rounds off a very fine album package indeed.

Having found a home with the ever productive Boo Hewerdine and his label Haven Records via Operando, Suburban Dirts express the homeliness of their new surroundings by drumming up a second album steeped in a rich quality of folk and alt. country goodness. It would be equally wise to suggest ‘A Tiny Little Island In The Big Bad Sea’ is far from basking in a glow of warm sentiments, rather the opposite in fact, as the foundations of one or two relationships appear to have crumbled long ago with the deeply entrenched sadness of ‘You Kill Me’ being a prime example. There is faint optimism swirling around the Dylan-esque ‘Any Other Morning’ that gets swept along at some considerable pace before grinding to a halt with the honest confessions of ‘One’.  There is, however, a knowingness about ‘A Tiny Little Island…’ as Suburban Dirts is far from craving a shoulder to cry on as reflected by ‘Occasionally Drunk’ with its roots embedded in a country barroom and ‘Queen O’Pity’ that once more gives a respective nod to Bob Dylan. Suburban Dirts might be residing on a tiny island but their songs are deserved of a much bigger stage.

When it came to Halden Electric’s third album, any notion of the creativity department being bereft of ideas was simply non-existent. When most artists struggle to find the form which promised so much on first album outings, Halden Electric not only had enough material to reach fourth base, but also a finely tuned balance of songs consisting of acoustic and electric and therefore a double album was born. The end result is ‘Women’; a twenty track collection spanning a variety of emotions and best listened to during several shifts due to the sheer amount of detail between its covers. ‘Loving Coming To Life’ is the best possible introduction with its barebones beginning of mandolin and forlorn vocal that tries its best to convince the future holds much promise when in fact it’s quite the opposite. ‘Always You’ leans towards Americana as it brings a glow musically, despite holding much heartbreak at its centre with downright weepy utterings, “I don’t take roads that don’t lead to you”. Wonderful steel strings and various other musical accompaniments try their hardest to perk up the downtrodden sentiments of ‘Everything You Love’, which is proceeded by an even greater effort with an almost a cappella ‘Light Your Lantern’ adding further vindication that the decision for a double album was the right one considering the breadth of creativity. The brooding ‘I Don’t Think It’s Funny’ complete with the merest hint of vocal harmonising during its chorus carries the song to its conclusion, only having to sidestep a brief interlude straight out of The Beatles handbook circa White album before arriving at the self-confessed, “It’s gonna do me a lot of good to get away from myself”.

Side two really opens up the wounds further as there is no respite for the hapless victim(s) at the end of these tales of heartbreak as ‘No More Love’ fully indicates with its distorted bluesy guitars and thumping backbeat owing a considerable debt to the White Stripes. The sonic distortion prevails in superb fashion with scuzzy guitars dragging ‘These Wounds’ through the mire. ‘I Don’t Want To’ tones things down musically and reveals its fondness for Neil Young due to possessing an aching quality on several different levels. The tension felt during ‘How Much Attention’ is certainly exerted via scorched guitars and a distorted vocal that is close to boiling over with its persistent questioning. Red hot guitars persist throughout ‘Good To Be Alone’ before ‘Trust Your Love’ brings the curtain down on this immense album with a final realisation that the same trust is to be invested once more if the dream is to be realised. ‘Women’ is an album of two halves that is equally intense and honest when it comes to its confessionary tales revealing a severely tested heart, but thankfully one that is not willing to call time just yet.

With a UK tour underway, Danny & The Champions of the World have every reason to feel a sense of gratification regarding the critical appraisal currently bestowed upon them for latest effort ‘Stay True’. A measure of self-satisfaction is more than granted when listening to the warm, country-tinged ‘(Never Stop Building) That Old Space Rocket’ as frontman Danny George Wilson recollects fragments of memories of family relations and a jukebox crammed with 50s nostalgia. ‘Cold Cold War’ is played out accordingly with its subdued country feel and downbeat soulful vocal striving to hold together a failing relationship. Similar ground can be found with ‘Stop Thief!’ that somehow manages to wade through the tears to deliver a vocal of the highest order with shades of early Springsteen. Radiating a warm musical ambience yet teetering on the edge lyrically, ‘Stay True’ is an honest and raw document of a band clearly at ease with itself and entering the form of its life.